The invention relates to a remote photography device. More particularly, the invention relates to a camera holder which allows attachment of a camera therein, allows the camera to be held a distance from the operator, and allows said operator to actuate said camera to take a photograph therewith.
Certain construction, repair, inspection and maintenance tasks employ photography to record the current state of a device or structure. The photographs may then be used simply for recordation and later comparison with photographs taken at a different time, or may be brought to experts who are better suited for analysis but cannot travel into the field to view the actual subject matter.
However, even the recordation of certain structures and devices is difficult. With regard to highway structures, machinery, and plumbing structures in particular, often very little space is available to allow the photographer to reach the subject matter in order to photograph it. Thus, often the most critical locations remain unphotographed. Thus, attention might only be drawn to a potential problem once it blossoms into a serious problem.
Several devices have been proposed which aid the photographer by holding the camera. However, these devices are all aimed at allowing the camera to be held perfectly still, or for ensuring fluid motion when holding a video camera. None of these devices are well suited for remote photography of hard to reach subject matter.
Fiber optic camera systems are available which allow images to be obtained from hard to reach, and even microscopic locations. Due to the high cost of these systems, there use has been limited generally to the field of medicine.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.